Al-Maʿarri Quotes

• The world holds two classes of men; intelligent men without religion, and religious men without intelligence.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Religious, Atheist, Intelligent

  "A Short History of Freethought, Ancient and Modern, Volume I". Book by John Mackinnon Robertson, 1906.

  49 Copy quote

• A little doubt is better than total credulity.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Doubt, Littles, Credulity

  "Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out". Book by Ibn Warraq, May 1, 2003.

  24 Copy quote

• O fools, awake! The rites ye sacred hold
  Are but a cheat contrived by men of old
  Who lusted after wealth and gained their lust
  And died in baseness-and their law is dust.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Men, Dust, Law

  22 Copy quote

• They all err - Muslims, Christians, Jews and Magians. There are two kinds of humans - the intelligent, who have no religion, and the religious, who have no intellect.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Christian, Religious, Atheist

  32 Copy quote

• Hanifs (Muslims) are stumbling, Christians all astray
  Jews wildered, Magians far on error’s way.
  We mortals are composed of two great schools
  Enlightened knaves or else religious fools.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Christian, Religious, School

  22 Copy quote

• Give a drink of water as alms to the birds which go forth at morning, and deem that they have a better right than men [to thy charity]. For their race brings not harm upon thee in any wise, when thou fearest it from thine own race.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Wise, Morning, Equality

  11 Copy quote

• They recite their sacred books, although the fact informs me that these are a fiction from first to last. O Reason, thou (alone) speakest the truth. Then perish the fools who forged the (religious) traditions or interpreted them!

  Al-Maʿarri

  Religious, Book, Fiction

  "Studies in Islamic Poetry (The Meditations of Al-Ma'arri)". Book by Reynold Alleyne Nicholson, 1921.

  20 Copy quote

• Reason forbade me many things which,
  Instinctively, my nature was attracted to;
  And a perpetual loss I feel if, knowing,
  I believe a falsehood or deny the truth.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Believe, Loss, Knowing

  15 Copy quote

• The inhabitants of the earth are of two sorts: Those with brains, but no religion, And those with religion, but no brains.

  Al-Maʿarri

  Atheist, Two, Brain

  "The Crusades Through Arab Eyes". Essay by Amin Maalouf, 1984.

  18 Copy quote

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